Pandas and Radishes
by Mining300
Summary: On the way back from Gongmen Shifu tells Po a story about his past hoping it will help. Later, Tigress "confronts" Po.


Po sat against the mass. He had offered to keep first watch. Reluctantly, the others agreed. He had a lot to think about.

For a while he stared into the water, watching waves go by. It was boring, but he didn't want to think about what had happened. To him or the others. Gongmen had been rough. Too rough.

He turned away from the water and leaned against the mass of the boat, he stared into the sky and let his body slouch.

"Panda?"

He snapped his head to look at Shifu who was standing in front of him. He didn't seem like himself, he seemed . . . concerned. That never went down well.

"You have achieved Inner Peace." Po nodded. They had already went over this in the harbor. That was yesterday. "Are you alright?"

"Alright?" Po was aware that Shifu was aware that, unless Po meditated for 30 years in a cave in Gongmen, then only great pain could have gave him Inner Peace. And well- Po wasn't in Gongmen for 30 years. He didn't really want talk about this.

"Yes, how are you taking it?"

"Fine."

"Po." Shifu was now glaring at him. "I know it must have been bad, but you need to talk about it. And we both know you don't want the others to know about it."

"I'll tell them. Eventually . . . "

"Po-" Shifu hesitated, not sure if this was the correct path. "I was there."

"Huh? Shifu?"

Shifu sighed and sat down, facing away from Po. "What I am about to tell you is something I haven't told the five." Po's eyes widened.

And with that Shifu begun his story, "Long ago, me and the previous five were sent a village near Gongmen. A village of Pandas."

Po gasped and his breathing intensified.

"Were were to stay for three months to protect them from an imminent threat. Bandits. They were taking their crops and profits for themselves. We quickly established ourselves and the others started to interact with the Panda folk. I, however, stayed and watched from above." Shifu paused and turned to make sure if Po was paying attention. "Anyway, one day, after a bandit raid, the elder, Jianyu, came to me. He thanked me and the others for our services and invited us to a feast. The others dragged me down there. Me and the elder quickly became friends. Now, even as the elder he was still around my age and, more and more, I left my isolation and met the Pandas."

He stopped allowing Po to process. "Woah, Master Shifu. You knew the Panda's?"

"Indeed. Even after we left Jianyu would send me letters telling me of the Villages progress and-" Shifu sighed. "Gongmen's new prince. The new prince had seemed to make things easier on the Panda's and made an effort to introduce them to Gongmen society. All in vein, as that Price was Lord Shen."

Po gasped and Shifu continued, "One day the letters stopped. I let months pass, hoping a new letter would be sent, before I heard of Shen's banishment. I had heard why, but I couldn't believe it. So, I asked Oogway permission to travel to Gongmen. He let me go. I'm sure you know what I found when I reached the Village."

Shifu's ears drooped. "I'm sorry for what happened Po, I really am. And just so you know, if you need someone to talk to I am here." He waited a moment to see if Po would say anything. When he did not Shifu got up and walked towards the entrance. It was time to get some shut eye.

He heard it, barely a whisper. "Thank you." Shifu turned towards Po and gave a small smile before walking to his sleeping roll inside the boat.

The rest of the trip went fairly smoothly. Po was somewhat back to his old self, although at times quieter. It seemed to Shifu that his story had eased the giant panda. The five gave Po space when he needed it, although Shifu noticed that Tigress would never stray too far. He would have to talk to her later. Afterall, he had missed what happened for most of their time in Gongmen.

Upon arriving in the Valley of Peace Po told them he wouldn't be up till later, having to deliver something to his father. So, Shifu and the five left to give him some privacy. Well, all but one.

"Where is it?! Where is it?!" Po frantically looked for the radish crate that he had purchased in gongmen. They were a gift to his father and he was ninety percent sure he didn't eat them in his sleep.

"Po." Po whipped around to Tigress, who was on the dock holding a rather large box.

"The radishes!" Po hopped down. "Scared me for a second, Tigress."

"Po." She set the radish crate down.

"Yeah?"

"You know you can tell us anything, right? We are your friends."

"Yeah, of course." Po had realized the possibility of one of the five eavesdropping on his conversation with Shifu. It appeared to be Tigress. He paid more attention and noticed her pain, locked in her eyes. She was hurt.

And that hurt Po.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" The hurt in her eyes only seemed to grow. Almost like she anticipated what Po was going to say next.

"For lying and not listening. You guys know better than I do on missions and I should have realized that. I'm sorry."

In an instant she was hugging him again. Her head on his shoulder. "I thought I had lost you." She whispered. Po hugged back and the two stood in each other's embrace for a few minutes. "Don't think it was your fault, Po. If anything, it was mine."

"Ti-"

"Listen. I was in charge. I even promised your father you would come back. You were and are my responsibility." She pushed herself away from Po, dusting herself off. "Now, the others are to not know about this, understood?"

"On it. See you around?"

"See you later, Po." She dropped on all fours and ran off, towards the Jade Palace.

Po turned to the radish basket. "Alright! Let's get you to my dads! I wonder what the soup tastes like with radishes . . . maybe I'll get some for Tigress?"

 ***Thinking about making a part two. Thoughts?**


End file.
